


keep in sync

by antpelts



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Bisexual Male Character, Bisexual Rich Goranski, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Gay Michael Mell, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Post-Canon, Trans Male Character, Trans Michael Mell
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:27:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24368863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antpelts/pseuds/antpelts
Summary: Something in him felt warm, felt fulfilled. Before he could think on it too long he grabbed his phone and keys before taking off down the stairs. A honk filled him with excitement and he practically threw himself out into the spring warmth. He’d gotten a few months of silence, now he was home, he was surviving. More than surviving.Some little voice wasn’t going to ruin that for him.As he jogged down the driveway he saw Michael reach over to push open the passenger door of his cruiser. Without a second thought Rich jumped in, his shoulder slamming into Michael as he jostled the car.// after everything rich and michael find comfort in each other, the squip is gone, it cant hurt them anymore. right?
Relationships: Rich Goranski/Michael Mell
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	keep in sync

**Author's Note:**

> i.......... cant help but start more fics i have too many ideas and i love my boys. keep an eye out for some role swap au stuff and gc fic updates! ;p

_ ‘I can’t believe you thought you were rid of me.’ _

“Well, considering the whole,” Rich paused, waving his hands around his head, “passing out, seizure, whatever! I kind of thought that meant you went poof!”

_ ‘Well, it’s more complicated than that. The chain reaction.. well, incapacitated me. I’m only working at partial capacity.’ _

“Is that why I can’t see you now?” There was something about arguing with thin air that gave him goosebumps. It made his skin crawl, it made an itch run up his spine.

_ ‘Yes. No manifestations, no spinal stimulation.’ _

“Thank god.” He couldn’t help but roll his eyes a bit.

_ ‘I told you there would be no getting rid of me. It’s a shame you put up such a fight, you could have easily done what Heere couldn’t. You’re strong, Richard. Stronger than him. You could save everyone from themselves, you could-’ _

“Power down.” There was a newfound confidence in his voice as he shrugged on a flannel over a makeshift tank top, gaping holes where he’d cut along the side showing off his sides. With a sight he tried not to focus on the slight pudge on his hips, that was new. He stared at himself in the mirror for a moment until he heard a low buzz in the back of his head, leaving him with some peaceful quiet. For a moment he paused, looking over himself. Eyes lingered on burn scars as he deftly rolled his sleeves up until they were at his mid arm. 

Something in him felt warm, felt fulfilled. Before he could think on it too long he grabbed his phone and keys before taking off down the stairs. A honk filled him with excitement and he practically threw himself out into the spring warmth. He’d gotten a few months of silence, now he was home, he was surviving. More than surviving. 

Some little voice wasn’t going to ruin that for him.

As he jogged down the driveway he saw Michael reach over to push open the passenger door of his cruiser. Without a second thought Rich jumped in, his shoulder slamming into Michael as he jostled the car. He barely had the door shut before Michael was driving, he wheezed with laughter as he struggled to buckle his seatbelt.

“You look good.” Michael’s voice was soft, it was bright. It softened the anxieties that hid deep in Rich’s chest.

“You look better,” Rich shot back. Though he’d raised a hand to his cheek, fingertips brushing over burn scars, feeling the warmth of a blush.

“You know this argument never ends.” Michael rolled his eyes, perhaps driving through the neighborhood a little too quickly. He knew the drive better than anything else, though. So when Rich leaned over to plant a kiss against his lips he only marginally fought back, slowing down. “Oh my god, you’re gonna kill us.”

“Well I’m already looking at an angel.”

There wasn’t a verbal response and Rich didn’t need one. A soft squeak fell from Michael’s lips and he swatted at his boyfriend a bit before pulling his coat closer around him - all the while he kept at least one hand on the wheel. 

“Is it just us?” Once he was fully seated again Rich shifted his seatbelt around, they were never quite comfortable on him. Any sort of pressure on his skin often felt suffocating, doubly so if it touched skin grafts and burn scars.

“Well, Jeremy and Christine aren’t allowed in the bowling alley anymore.”

“Right,” it slipped out between laughs. Who would have thought that Jeremy Heere, the king of social anxieties, would perform a whole art piece he knew he’d get in trouble for? In public! Rich was just glad his boyfriend liked to slip under the radar, he decided to try it for himself. Though, this time he wasn’t completely unseen. It would never be like freshman year again.

“And my head would probably explode if I had to attend a social outing with, like, more than three people so.. just us.” As he spoke Michael mimed an explosion by his face with one hand.

“Why are we going to the bowling alley and not the arcade?” Rich reached around on the ground until he found what he was looking for, a discarded bandana. The same one he’d been looking for almost half an hour ago. Funny how that worked. Dusting it off he rolled it up before securing it around his head, using it to keep his unruly bangs from his eyes.

“You need a haircut,” Michael mused, ruffling his hair while Rich tried to swat him away. “But, also! The arcade like.. smells gross now. It used to be bearable but they probably can’t afford a janitor anymore. Besides, the bowling alley arcade has a crane game with little plushies in it.”

“Yet we’ve still never won one.” The lisp slipped out easier, without a second thought. Before Michael could tease him he reached to pull the headphones away from where they were wrapped around his neck - Rich knew full well they wouldn’t even be plugged into his phone. When they went on dates there was a conscious effort to not pull them up. That made it that much easier for Rich to pull them around his own neck, swinging the cord around a bit. 

“I swear, you’re gonna take my eye out with that one day.”

“You wear glasses, you should be worried about me.” The words were punctuated with another twirl of the cord. “I’m vulnerable! Unprotected!”

“You’re so lucky that you’re cute.” 

The smile that crossed Rich’s face was unabashed - it was bright, it was clear, it was happy. For the first time in years Rich could confidently say he felt happy. Not just content, not just keeping his head about water. Full, genuine happiness.

* * *

“Are we actually gonna bowl or mooch off the atmosphere?” Rich squirmed up under Michael’s arm as he tried to position the crane’s arm. The jostling threw him off and wobbled the machine, making the claw wiggle as it lowered. The whole attempt was scrapped but Michael couldn’t find himself caring as Rich pushed his back up against his chest. After a beat arms wrapped around his middle as he fished another dollar out of his pocket.

“Will you make fun of me for getting the bumpers up?” 

Rich felt the words more than he heard them, breath tickling his ear as he positioned the claw.

“I won’t on one condition.” Both their eyes were trained on the claw as it lowered, wrapping around a plush cat, nudging it an inch before it slipped out from the grasp. Rich deflated against Michael’s chest. “We gotta dunk on the straights by being real cute.”

“Yeah?”

“You gotta correct my bowling form, all tender like.”

“You’re better at bowling than me.”

In the shadows of the arcade corner Rich turned, wrapping arms up around Michael’s shoulders. “Scared of a little pda?”

“Are you?”

A few years ago Rich would have been, a few months ago he would have been. Finally he was able to live for himself, to love for himself - Richard Goranski was totally bi and nothing would change that.

“Not if it’s with you. Not with you on my team.”

A snort of a laugh was his only response and he buried his face against Michael’s shoulder, moving hands to ruffle his hair affectionately.

“Hey!” With that Michael ducked away, smoothing his hair back down.

“You’re on my team yeah?” The slightest bit of hesitation crept into his tone and with barely concealed tenderness Michael took Rich’s hands in his own.

“‘course Richie. As long as you don’t turn on me.” It dripped with affection, even if his gaze dropped, blush hidden in the low light. They teetered on the edge of something serious, teetered on memories of the past that hurt them both.

“Turn you on?” Rich wiggled his eyebrows, giving his shoulders a slight shimmy. The attempt was successful and he felt the mood lighten immediately.

“Richard,” Michael dropped Rich’s hands so he could cup his cheeks instead. “I am going to turn on you like a rabid dog.”

“Turn on me? Oh, babe I’m totally turned on by you.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“You love it.”

There was a beat of silence, Michael looked down at Rich, a bit wide-eyed behind his glasses. A shaky smile stretched over his lips and he moved hands to squish Rich’s cheeks.

“Fuck, yeah,” a fond laugh fell from his lips. “I do.. love you.”

“Ah!” Rich flushed darkly, weakly swatting at Michael’s chest, voice cracking a bit, “not fair! You can’t spring that on a guy! In a bowling alley!”

The dim light couldn’t hide the wild smile crossing his face, though, showing off his tooth gap and how he poked the tip of his tongue out from between his teeth.

“What about a bowling alley.. arcade?”

“I think I’ll.. allow it.” Rich laughed, as the sound faded out his breath shuddered a bit, catching Michael’s attention. “I.. thanks.”

“Hm?” Cocking his head Michael moved to settle hands on his boyfriend’s shoulders. “Thanks?”

“For..” A slight pained look flashed over his face.

“Richie, you don’t gotta thank me for loving you.” Despite the seriousness a chuckle fell from Michael’s lips. “I just do.”

“I do, uh. Yeah.” Hands moved to obscure his face, pressing against his own forehead, voice dropping to a softer volume. “Love you, too.”

“Oh my god, you’re so fucking cute.”

Rich let out another yelp as Michael pulled his hands away from his face and spun with him before pulling him in close. His expression was impossibly fond as he leaned to press a kiss against Rich’s forehead.

“Does this mean we get to bowl?”

“I.. Rich, that literally has nothing to do with our conversation,” Michael couldn’t help but snort with laughter, stepping back from where they were pressed together. “But yes.”

“Oh, hells yeah, man.”

Michael took that as his cue to turn away, leading the way up to the counter to rent out a lane and shoes. For a second Rich hesitated, feeling a slight buzz in the back of his head. Huffing out a breath he gave a sharp blow to the spot behind his ear, speaking in a low whisper, “I didn’t say power on.”

_ ‘My objective remains incomplete - you aren’t rid of me, I am programmed to improve your life, our trajectory was thrown off.’ _

Rich shook his head, jogging to catch up to Michael, linking their arms together.

_ ‘I can not be permanently powered down before successfully completing an objective. Our plans have dropped back down to 25% completion. In my state I can not monitor and track your progress and complete our goals. My coding was not made with a synced destruction in mind, if you reactivate me we can reevaluate our plan to reaching your desires.’ _

‘Power down,’ it was harder to keep the words in his thoughts than he’d expected. Aside from school he’d been so used to being alone, talking aloud was no problem when he was alone. He had Michael to worry about now, the last few months had been the best in his life and he wasn’t ready to lose it all. If Michael knew that he was hearing the squip again.. he didn’t even want to think of the fallout. Was it even possible to be completely rid of it?

Maybe if he could hunt down some more Red he could give it a shot. He couldn’t help but wonder, though, if there really was no way to destroy it. Just disable it. It was worth a shot, though. Michael loved him, right? He wouldn’t blame him for the fact the squip was still buzzing around his head - it wasn’t like he wanted it. Honesty. He had to be honest. It was easy, with Michael everything was easy. Making a promise to himself he let himself hang off his boyfriend’s arm. They’d finish their date and then he’d talk to him about it. Tell him that the squip was somehow there but that he wanted it  _ gone. _

Maybe it was something about how he wasn’t at the play. Or that he’d had it for so much longer than everyone else.

Why would it wait months before coming back?

There were too many questions and not enough answers. Instead, he had more important things to focus on. Michael was smiling down at him, holding out a pair of shoes. It made his chest fuzzy, the small things, the fact Michael knew his shoe size. It was kind of funny.

“We have lane six. I’m gonna grab some food,” Michael tipped his head in the direction of the little concessions counter. “Want something?”

“Surprise me?”

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments keep me going


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